Idolatry is the root of all sin. Essentially, all of our sin is deciding to trust, love, and obey something else instead of God. As I have said before, our disobedience to God is actually obedience to something else.

So how can we identify the idols in our lives (1 John 5:21)? I’ve already answered that question in a past post, but today I’d like to offer one more short, but very powerful question.

Is there anything God could take away that would make me stop worshiping Him?

Your answer to that question will reveal what you love the most and what you love the most is your idol.

Think On These Things

What in your life is “off-limits” to God? What would be unacceptable for Him to take from you? To help you tease this out, think about the following:

If God allowed you to be beaten and robbed,would you still love, honor, and worship Him with everything you have?

If God took away all of your wealth and earthly materials (see Job 1:13-17), would you still love, honor, and worship Him with everything you have?

If God took away your health (Job 2:7-8), would you still love, honor, and worship Him with everything you have?

If God called you to a life of suffering (Acts 9:16),would you still love, honor, and worship Him with everything you have?

If God took away your wife (see Ezekiel 24:15-17), would you still love, honor, and worship Him with everything you have?

If God took away all your children (see Job 1:18), would you still love, honor, and worship Him with everything you have?

If God didn’t save your children or your closest friends (Romans 9:3), would you still love, honor, and worship Him with everything you have?

Idolatry is not bowing down to little action figures or doing odd, spiritual practices. Idolatry is believing the lie that something else is more beautiful, trustworthy, satisfying, and worthy of our lives than God as He is revealed in Jesus. Idolatry is putting something else in the place of God.

Is Jesus Your Bell-Hop?

Idolatry is something that can be committed by the church goers and non-church goers alike. There are many sitting in pews every Sunday “worshiping” Jesus with their lips though their hearts are committed to something else (Matthew 15:8).

Many claim Jesus is Lord not because they love Him more than everything else, but because He gives them what they truly desire. As long as He keeps doing that, they’ll honor Him as “Lord.” But this isn’t worship, this is an exchange of services. In this picture Jesus isn’t loved and honored as Supreme Treasure, but He is treated as the cosmic bell-hop who brings us what we really want. Do you desire Jesus or what He gives you?

My friends, what idols live in your heart? What do you love, trust, enjoy, or obey more than God Himself? Even more, what will you do with them? I suggest the instructions of Moses: “The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire” (Deuteronomy 7:25).